-I mentioned that CTC-style black tea is best here. CTC or "crush-tear-curl" is a method of processing tea that creates tiny little granules. A machine crushes the leaves to facilitate oxidization, then tears the leaves into little bits, finally a roller curls the tea into the minuscule pellets. This is the most common way to process tea in India and it is well-suited for chai making because it yields a bold taste and excellent color extraction. You'll find CTC black tea in any Indian market. Alternatively, you can use an orthodox, full-leaf tea for making chai but the color and tea flavor may be a bit muted. If you make this masala tea mix with full-leaf or broken-leaf black tea, I would add another teaspoon of this mix when making a chai beverage.
-If you don't have a mortar and pestle, use a heavy-bottomed pot or a cast-iron skillet to crush the spices on a cutting board.
-Of course you'll use this mix to make a hot chai beverage, but you can also use it to make a multitude of desserts. Chai-flavored ice cream, panna cotta, and rice pudding are a few examples. Just boil and steep whatever nondairy milk you use in that recipe with this chai mix and proceed with that recipe.
-You can substitute rooibos tea for the black tea if you want a caffeine-free chai experience.